Hibernian have improved, says manager Terry Butcher

Manager Terry Butcher believes Hibernian are a "changed" side as they seek their first Edinburgh derby win of the season.

Butcher has claimed three wins and three draws in his seven matches in charge since taking over.

Hearts have beaten Hibs in the league and League Cup so far this term.

"The two results against Hearts during the early part of the season don't mean a thing to us now," said Butcher ahead of his first city derby.

"There have been a lot of firsts that we have achieved since [assistant] Maurice [Malpas] and myself came to the club in seven matches.

"We had never beaten Ross County in the league or the cup and we have done just that.

Malpas and Butcher left Inverness to taking over at Hibs in November

"We hadn't won at home for a long time and we have done that.

"We have changed, the team has changed, the mentality has changed, the football has changed.

"There has been lots of change at our football club and we obviously want to change the results and make sure we put into effect our way of making change.

"What we are concerned about is doing the right things and doing everything to the best of our ability."

Butcher admits he is a novice when it comes to the meeting of the Scottish capital's great rivals.

"I have seen it on television a few times, I don't think I have ever been to one," he explained.

"When I have seen it on TV, the standard hasn't been great in terms of it being a real battle.

"But we are asking our players to get the ball and pass it and play the way we can play, get crosses into the box and we'll see what happens after that."

Hibs warmed up for the derby with a 3-0 defeat of Kilmarnock on Sunday - only the Easter Road's third home league win of 2013.

"It was important to win on Sunday against Kilmarnock because that gave us a base now to say we have done it, we have won at Easter Road and we know what we have to do," added Butcher.

"Kilmarnock are a good side and have recently beaten Hearts, so we were delighted with the performance and we want to take it forward.

"We have got great hope at this football club now, which we didn't have before, and we are going into the game full of confidence, buoyant and full of optimism."